Tag: Parliamentary Question

  • Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    Jonathan Ashworth – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jonathan Ashworth on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many and what proportion of officials of her Department took sick leave for reasons relating to stress in each of the last five years; and what proportion of total sick leave that leave was in each such year.

    George Eustice

    The table below provides details of the number and proportion of officials that took sick leave relating to Mental Health Disorders in the core-Department as at 31st December in each of the last five years.

    Number of Staff

    Proportion of All Core Defra Staff

    31-Dec-11

    69

    2.9%

    31-Dec-12

    70

    3.3%

    31-Dec-13

    76

    3.5%

    31-Dec-14

    52

    2.5%

    31-Dec-15

    70

    3.6%

    We are unable to disaggregate stress from the category mental disorders. This category includes personality and behavioural disorders and lists 24 descriptors of which stress is one.

  • Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    Chi Onwurah – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Chi Onwurah on 2016-04-21.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessments he has made of the role of libraries in reducing digital exclusion.

    Mr Edward Vaizey

    Libraries play a significant role in supporting digital engagement, by providing computers and WiFi to enable people to access the internet and digital services, as well as offering digital skills training and support.

    Thanks to Government funding, free WiFi is available in 99% of public libraries in England. DCMS and the Leadership for Libraries Taskforce are working with national partners to develop the role of libraries in improving digital engagement. From 1 October 2015 to 31 March 2016, The Tinder Foundation, in partnership with the Taskforce, carried out a Libraries Digital Inclusion Action Research Project. This supported 16 library authorities across England to pilot and assess new approaches to build digital engagement in socially excluded, hard to reach groups. The Foundation published interim findings in February 2016, and a final report is due in this summer that will help inform future digital engagement activity for libraries.

  • Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Philip Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Philip Davies on 2016-06-06.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what information his Department holds on the proportion of people in the UK (a) who smoke and (b) from other EU member states who smoke.

    Jane Ellison

    The Department considers a range of published statistics relating to smoking prevalence in England. These are drawn together in the Health and Social Care Information Centre report Statistics on Smoking, England, which is available at the link below:

    http://www.hscic.gov.uk/catalogue/PUB20781

    The Integrated Household Survey gives figures for the other United Kingdom countries and is available at the link below:

    http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/dcp171778_418136.pdf

    Information on smoking prevalence in European countries is available from the World Health Organization European Region Tobacco Control Database at the link below:

    http://data.euro.who.int/Tobacco/

    “

  • Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Daniel Zeichner – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Daniel Zeichner on 2016-09-02.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the reasons are for changes to the level of funding available through the electric vehicle homecharge scheme for householders wishing to install ultra-low emission vehicle charging technology at home.

    Mr John Hayes

    As the market for plug-in vehicles grows we have reduced the level of grant available under the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme reflecting falling costs, so that Government support can be maintained and more motorists can benefit.

  • The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Lord Bishop of St Albans – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Lord Bishop of St Albans on 2016-10-10.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about the imminent appeal hearing for Asia Bibi at the Pakistani Supreme Court on the charge of blasphemy.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    On 13 October the Supreme Court in Pakistan postponed Ms Asia Bibi’s appeal hearing indefinitely. I remain concerned about Ms Bibi and continue to follow developments in her case closely. We raise regularly our concerns about misuse of the blasphemy laws with the Pakistani Government, and continue to urge Pakistan to adhere to its international obligations and uphold the rule of law. During his visit to Pakistan in March, the former Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), made clear our concerns about minority communities and misuse of the blasphemy laws.

    The UK supported the EU statement of October 2014 following the decision of the Lahore High Court to uphold the conviction of Ms Bibi. We will continue to work with our EU and other international partners to ensure our views are made clear to the Pakistani authorities.

  • Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Baroness Tonge – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Tonge on 2015-11-17.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding the undercover raid by Israeli armed forces on a hospital in Hebron, resulting in the death of a relative of the suspect.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    While we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, we are clear that medical staff should have the protection that allows them to do their jobs in safety. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv met Physicians for Human Rights on 9 November to discuss trends in human rights violations against medical staff. Since the start of the current violence we have spoken regularly to both the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority on the urgent need to de-escalate the tensions.

  • Yvonne Fovargue – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    Yvonne Fovargue – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Yvonne Fovargue on 2015-12-15.

    To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions her Department has had with Serco on the housing of asylum seekers in Wigan.

    James Brokenshire

    Home Office officials monitor and conduct regular daily discussions with all COMPASS providers about management and execution of the contract, including the short-term use of contingency accommodation arrangements such as those employed by Serco in Wigan.

    Home Office officials have been very clear with its providers that all measures to increase procurement of suitable accommodation must be taken to ensure that accommodation consistently matches demand.

  • Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Lord Moonie – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Moonie on 2016-01-26.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many UK civil servants are seconded to the European Commission.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    There are a total of 156 UK secondees working across the EU institutions, as either Seconded National Experts or National Experts in Professional Training. 127 of them are currently working in the European Commission.

  • The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The Marquess of Lothian – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by The Marquess of Lothian on 2016-02-23.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they last raised the issue of human rights with the governments of (1) Saudi Arabia, and (2) Iran.

    Baroness Anelay of St Johns

    We regularly raise our concerns over human rights in Saudi Arabia with the Saudi Arabian government, and did so most recently on 22 February. We repeatedly call on the Iranian government to guarantee the human rights of all Iranians and will continue to do so. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), most recently raised the issue with Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif when he visited the UK on 5 February.

  • Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    Matthew Offord – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Matthew Offord on 2016-03-10.

    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received of the firing of two long-range missiles from the Alborz mountain range by Iran.

    Mr Tobias Ellwood

    Reports that Iran has test launched two long-range missiles are of deep concern. Such activity is inconsistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2231, and we are writing to the UN Security Council to request a report into the tests. We urge Iran to refrain from further tests.